Echoes Dying
by Rubicon 9 Of Hearts
Summary: A normal day can seem so peaceful, yet, in an instant, it can all disapear into the shadows. Elliot Nightray and his servant, Leo, know this better than anyone. A spring day that seemed so perfect would soon take a turn for the worse, never to be forgoten


**Hey there! It's Rubi~! Well, I'll cut right to the chase.**

**I don't really know how this idea came to me, but there were idea being tossed back and forth for a new contest on DA for the ElliotLeo group _OfWithHisHead_ (although they've already got an idea sort of going). However, one of the ideas was something to do with sad things, so I guess I could picture something like this. This is probably the longest oneshot I've ever written! I finished this last night while watching the series finalle of 'House'.**

**Kind of self explanitory; two people enjoying a normal day (*cough*Elliot and Leo *cough*), and then there's an accident that plunges that enjoyment into chaos. What happens then? You'll just have to read to find out! ****Oh, and thanks for all the favs/comments on my previous oneshot, Bring Me Back.**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way. Feel free to leave a review~**

Echoes Dying

It wasn't too often that a certain pair would venture out into town. However, it was a nice spring day, and one of them had stuff to do in town anyway.

On this day, when Spring's presence had become clearly known, Elliot Nightray and his servant, Leo, had gone off to town today. The young Nightray heir, Elliot, had something to pick up at a shop. He had to get a new case for his sword along with the new volume of his favorite book series, _Holy Knight_. As for the shorter noirette following alongside him, Elliot's servant, Leo didn't really care. As long as he had a book in his hand, and Elliot at his side, he would be okay.

Today was a lovely day indeed.

Only for a moment.

"So, we hit the bookshop to get the new volume of _Holy Knight_, then we head back." Elliot rambled on, having already gotten the new case for his sword. "Got it, Leo?"

"Of course." Leo said with a smile.

"It's just that you always get absorbed in those mounds of books, and in the end I practically have to pry you away from them by the time we leave."

"I do not act like that."

The Nightray scoffed. "Are you kidding me? You act so childish!"

"Shut it before I give you a good punch."

The underlining tone in his voice was not to be taken lightly; there was a threat tied into it. Knowing this, Elliot knew it would not be a good idea to push the subject any further, for noirette had a terrible temper, hidden underneath his calm demeanor.

Finally, Leo chuckled, realizing his master had given up at trying to prove the other of being childish. He then decided to look around, admire the scenery, sort to say.

Flowers bloomed in the windowsills of homes, waking from their hibernation at last. From each flower, a different scent wafted in the area. The noirette could sense them in the brittle air, able to tell them apart from the slightest of smells- he admired the array of flowers in the Nightray gardens anyway. The sky had few clouds disrupting the blue, and they rather looked like puffs of mist. The temperature wasn't that bad ether; nice and mild.

Leo liked these kind of clam days, even more so because Elliot was with him.

Elliot was with him...

Elliot...

"I..." The servant suddenly started.

The Nightray stopped in his tracks, which made Leo halt also. "Huh? What is it?"

"Um, it's just that..." Damn, why was this so hard now? "Today is lovely, wouldn't you agree?"

"Hmm. Yeah, I guess so." Elliot answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"That's great...Elliot."

Staring up at those blue eyes of his master, it wasn't something one could describe so easily. Leo liked that, and never wanted to see them in such a broken way- one such occasion being that day not long after he was adopted.

It pained the noirette to think about those events, but not a day went by without him thinking back on it, knowing it had been his fault. So long as Elliot was alive, living and breathing here and now, this regretful servant would fight till the very end to preserve this time they shared, however long it may last.

Whether it would be over in the blink of an eye, or take a few years, Leo would treasure every moment.

"Stop spacing out. Let's go get that book."

"Yes, yes, of course." But Leo paused and took in another breath. "However, I don't really think I thank you enough."

Now Elliot was confused. "For what exactly?"

"I mean, yeah, I know I'm short tempered, irritable, annoying- yet, we share a common ground." The noirette smiled lightly and a slight blush crept into his cheeks. "We have mutual respect, and when you thrust the decision onto me, the one that would make me your servant, I know I rejected it at first, but, I am glad you picked me. You saved me. I thank you for that. Thank you."

The Nightray had listened carefully, taking in all of his words, but...he didn't fully understand.

"Where...did this come from?" He asked.

Leo sighed. "Just as I said; I really don't thank you enough, for all that you've done...for me." His voice had choked on the last word slightly, recalling a certain occurrence.

"It's no trouble, really." Elliot put a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him. "You're all those things you've said- irritating, annoying, a real pain in the ass- but you're still great, an equal. I know my decision was the right one. You're my best friend."

"Thanks." Leo's reply was a little quiet, but it was still filled with his happiness.

"Right. Now can we get going?"

The other chuckled. "Yes. I've been distracting you long enough."

"No, don't say that, moron!"

"So, which way is-"

Leo stopped dead midsentince, eyes fixated on something behind Elliot.

"What?" Leo was frozen. "Hey, wh-"

_"ELLIOT!"_

Petite hands suddenly grabbed Elliot by both of his arms. Using all of the strength his body could allow, Leo forcefully pushed his master away. A second later, whipping his head around to see the approaching object, Leo's deep, violet eyes barely caught sight of the runaway carriage as it slammed into him.

He had known; he had seen it.

Just a second before, while talking with Elliot, they were at the base of a street set on a hill. Up on the top, there was a lone carriage, the owner probably going to get horses for it. They must not have secured it correctly, because it had come loose from where it was tied and had started rolling down the hill at a high speed. The thing about this was that Leo could see it barreling straight towards Elliot. His instincts to keep his master from harm had kicked in then with full force.

With all his might, Leo had pushed Elliot out of its path. Leo refused to see that broken form ever again.

Something seemed to go in slow motion for the noirette, even as all the air was being blown from his lungs upon impact.

The world was jumbled in an instant and he could feel pain exploding in multiple areas of his body. The wooden wheels collided with him as he fell, running over him and making the carriage go into a slide. At one point Leo wasn't aware of anything at all; the sound of something cracking, his glasses flying from his face, fresh wounds being made by splintered wood scratching his skin, not even when the carriage fell on top of his body crushing a good portion of it (carriages were partially made of wood though, so it was crumbling apart by that time).

When it was over, his head collided hard with the stone ground, the broken carriage burring him in remains.

The sound of the lenses of his glasses shattering seemed to be a slow, rippling, far away echo.

Meanwhile, Elliot, who had been pushed out of the carriage's path and had fallen onto the ground, got up on his knees just in time to see the whole catastrophe.

He saw it impact Leo dead on. He saw his servant falling and then getting run over by wooden wheels. He saw it fall apart and trap Leo underneath.

Elliot was stunned, frozen in silence and he heard the noirette's glasses breaking. It took the Nightray a few moments for this to register in his mind.

Leo had saved him.

People had witnessed this and their worried muttering could be heard. They had gathered, and Elliot could only stare, that is, until he spotted a scraped up, limp hand jutting from the rubble.

"LEO!" The scream that came from his mouth was shocking to most people, but not to himself. Not wasting another moment, Elliot rushed forward and began digging away at the rubble.

He picked at it and threw each piece aside, pray to God that his friend was somehow alive.

"Leo! Please answer me! Talk to me, dammit!" The more debris that was removed, the closer Elliot was getting to Leo, but still no sound came back. "Leo, please!"

At last Elliot caught sight of his petite, crumpled form, and froze momentarily. He couldn't give up though, he had to get Leo out. At last he got the upper half of the servant's body free and was able to pull the rest of him out, everything still in tact.

Elliot should of been relived, but not when he laid Leo's head on his lap, fully taking in the extent.

His head had a rather large gash in it and there was a cut on one side of his face. Both eyes were closed and a tiny trickle of blood seeped from the noirette's mouth. Scrapes decorated his skin, and taking off the jacket, blood stained his white undershirt, especially from one wound on his side. Then Elliot noticed that his left arm was bent the wrong way. It might have been broken.

Now that he looked at Leo again...it didn't look like he was breathing.

"No...God, no!" He muttered franticly. Leo was too fragile to have taken a hit such as this, and whipping his head up toward the crowd of people, "Hey! Someone get a doctor! Please!"

He hoped someone heard him, because the Nightray heir soon turned his attention back to Leo. The other was getting paler by the second. Taking another look at the boy lying limp and lifeless before him, the Nightray thought he had imagined it at first, but lowering his head and listening more intently, he could hear the other breathing. He was breathing! He quickly checked Leo's pulse; it was there, but extremely faint. He was still here with Elliot, but barely alive.

Barely alive...

"...iot"

Wait. Did...did he just...?

"Elliot..."

"Leo!" Elliot quickly lifted the noirette into his arms, and, not caring if he got slapped later, he pushed away the long bangs that shielded Leo's eyes. Violet orbs stared up at him. "L-Leo..."

The boy's lips parted, but a violent cough shook him, droplets of blood sputtering from his lips.

"It...hurts." The noirette was able to mutter after his coughing had ceased. From his vantage point Elliot was the one who looked broken, looking up at him with weary eyes. "It hurts!"

"I-I-I know! Just...um..." Elliot didn't finish, a single tear replacing that. He...almost never cried.

_'No, please, don't cry.'_ Leo brokenly, silently, pled.

Leo could barely feel much of anything, hear much of anything. The golden lights were fading, along with his sight. It actually hurt to breathe, every breath becoming more difficult each time, much less being able to draw in any much needed air at all. It just hurt to breathe, making something inside his chest hurt terribly.

"E-Elliot, I-"

The noirette was cut off. "Stay with me, okay?"

"I...don't know if..." Yes, he just didn't know, and it pained Leo's heart to see his master like this.

Oh, so many things left unsaid, so many things he wanted to say to Elliot. There were things he had wanted to tell Elliot so badly, but he was unable too, his own emotions getting in the way. He wanted to let them all spill right now, but his voice wouldn't support him. He felt like he couldn't breathe anymore.

Perhaps...perhaps this was punishment, for what happened in Sablier. Back then, it had been his fault and his selfishness that would be his master's- no, friend's- death.

Today though, he had saved Elliot- Not by a wish or desperate plea, but by his own will.

"Elliot." Leo's voice fell out all together, and his eyes slowly closed.

"Leo, stay with me! Don't you dare die on me! Stay awake, please! Don't die!"

His voice was far way now, and whether or not he would die was not up to him, nor was the decision to be sent to ether Heaven or Hell. It was all in God's hands now. Leo wasn't much for religion, but this he knew.

Still, Leo wanted to live, and be by Elliot till the end.

He didn't want to leave him alone.

He didn't want Elliot to be broken.

The noirette's heart could not bear that sight.

He wanted to live.

* * *

Elliot was nervous, frightened, and he had every damn right to be. He paced back and forth outside a room, inside a semi-dark hall. One of his hands were slightly curled into a fist and placed over his mouth. Right now, he couldn't stay still, it was impossible for him to do so.

How could this have happened? How could this warm spring day suddenly turn into a nightmare?

_'Dammit. Dammit. Dammit.'_ His whole body was just twitching with anticipation and worry. _'He's gotta be alive. He wouldn't give up just like that!'_

He knew what had happened, but that was no solace for the concern that plagued his mind.

Elliot recalled the incident in his mind, although it was unpleasant.

It had started out just like any other day, a trip into town on a warm spring day. Leo had suddenly gotten the notion about 'not thanking his master' enough for choosing him as the Nightray heir's servant. Elliot had no idea why the noirette had said that, but he had obviously meant it, something that was thoughtful.

It all changed in an instant.

Leo had become frozen were he stood and then shouted his master's name. Elliot didn't even know his servant had that much strength in his small body as he shoved the other aside. The only thing that he saw of the incident was his friend's body getting trampled, crushed, beaten, and broken by the hit he took from a runaway carriage slamming into him.

Elliot would never forget that moment, nor would he forget the hand that stuck out of the rubble, or how twisted and broken Leo looked when he was pulled free, his moon white skin stained with crimson blood.

And his eyes- oh, the noirette's gem-like eyes- they looked shattered and cloudy.

Elliot had done his best to keep Leo awake, yelling, screaming his name. He begged for his friend to stay alive. Leo was unable to hold on and had eventually slipped back into an unconscious state. All he could do then was hold Leo close and pray that this boy's life wouldn't be over. Once some medical help had arrived, the noirette was whisked away to a nearby clinic, and Elliot had followed.

It had happened so quickly, but one thing was for certain; Leo had saved him.

And now, here he was, anxiously waiting to hear something, anything about the condition of the boy on the verge of death.

_'I can't stand it, waiting this long.'_ Now he had ceased his pacing and sat in a singed chair, folding his hands together. _'I have to know! He can't possibly be dead! There's no...'_

He closed his eyes in regret. "Leo...you've gotta be alive. I..."

The Nightray stopped with his mumbling as the door in front of him opened, a man stepping out of the room. Elliot tried to look past the door, trying to catch a glimpse of Leo, but the door was shut and he turned his attention to the man before him. This man's expression could not be read, which meant Elliot would be unable to deduce any information from that alone.

The chances fate had cast were split evenly.

"How..." Elliot had to pause to regain his composure. "How is he?"

The man was silent for a moment, and that worried Elliot greatly.

_'Tell me. Please tell me if he's alright.'_

"The boy...well, he-" He started, but Elliot rose from his seat suddenly, heart pounding.

"What?"

"His injuries were very much severe. He lost some blood, and..." The man's words trailed off, and Elliot was starting to fear the worst.

"For God's sake, tell me if he's alive or not!"

The Nightray feared he would never see that smile from his companion ever again.

_'Tell me now!'_

Whatever Elliot heard next, his body went rigid. He had heard it so clearly, as clear as the night sky.

"Wha-? Is this...?"

"Yes."

He trembled where he stood, only his own breathing could be heard. As the words of the result had sunk in, he fell to his knees.

Yet, he did not cry.

"He...Leo is..."

This was not how one of the Nightray household should act. He knew that better than anyone, but here and now, still not a single tear shed, he couldn't help it.

"Alive."

* * *

The extent of Leo's injuries was dreadful.

Among his more serious injuries, both his left arm and right leg were broken, along with two ribs. Elliot was glad nothing more had been broken- like both his legs, or his collar bone, or his back, or even his neck. The noirette had also suffered an extreme concussion to the head, and to why that had happened was unknown. Perhaps it had been his head smacking against the stone ground or the moment when the carriage hit him (Makes sense if you think about it).

The doctor who explained all this to Elliot, the same one who had informed him of the servant's condition, said that the servant was very lucky to have survived. He then went on to explaining other things. They were just other injuries that weren't as bad, yet it just piled more onto the list.

There were several scratches and cuts across Leo's body. A few had to be stitched up, but the worst ones were a cut on the side of his face, one on his forehead, and one on his right side. This last one in particular happened to contribute to most of his blood loss, because an artery had been nicked. Bruises had also marked him, varying in degree.

Elliot took in all this information, nodding slowly. Leo was alright though, alive and breathing. It would just take a long time for the noirette to recover.

Sometime around the first morning after the incident, Elliot had requested that Leo be taken back to the manor. The doctor he had talked to argued with the Nightray and insisted that Leo stay where he was, but Elliot wouldn't let that fly. After a brief dispute, Elliot's request was granted.

As he was carefully transported back to the manor, still out cold, Elliot knew this was the right choice. Leo would be more comfortable resting in his own bed at home instead of in a stuffy place like that. The Nightray only wanted to make sure his servant recovered in a way that wouldn't trouble him so. Besides, he could be easily taken care of at the manor, and his master would be at his side (Elliot's siblings had seemed more concerned about their little brother himself when they heard of the incident).

Actually, when they returned home, Elliot did not place Leo in his bed. Instead he was put into his master's. It would be odd to the servant later, but this was the least Elliot could do for him. Even so, just looking at Leo's injuries now, it was almost painful and pitiful at the same time. The broken limbs had been placed in casts, bandages had been wrapped around his head and chest (because of his broken ribs), there was a bandage on the side of his face, and that cut on his right side was also covered in bandages.

Elliot was very glad that Leo was okay. The very thought that on that day the noirette could of perished was too much to bear. If he had died that day, Elliot didn't know what he would have done. Leo was actually someone very dear to him, despite his irritable ways. Through that, Leo was a kind hearted person who only sought out the best for his master.

If Leo had died, there were so many things that Elliot would never see from the noirette again. How he was so silent when he read- that thoughtful bookworm. How he could easy annoy and tease Elliot. The melodies that would swirl through the air when they played piano together. The things Leo did for Elliot, along with all their misadventures. Those nights when the Nightray was a broken mess because of a nightmare and the noirette would be right at his side to comfort him.

And...that smile. Leo's smile.

Yes, it would have all been gone, but Leo was alive. He had survived.

The whole day went on by, and Elliot thought it was slower than usual.

When night fell, Elliot wandered back into his room where Leo was sleeping. There was really no telling if he was awake or not. After changing into his pajamas, Elliot pulled up a spare chair and sat by his bedside.

Even as he watched Leo sleep, there were concerning thoughts drifting around in the heir's mind.

What if the accident left him paralyzed from the waist down, unable to walk ever again?

What if he somehow lost the use of his hands? That might actually be more painful than not being able to walk, because that meant Leo would never be able to read again, never be able to play piano again. That would only send to noirette into a depression.

What if Leo lost his memories? Memories of his life. Memories of Elliot.

What if he became trapped in a coma?

What if...he never woke up...?

Trying his best to banish these unsettling thoughts from his mind, Elliot ended up falling asleep, watching over Leo from here.

* * *

There wasn't much to be aware of, only his slow, steady breathing.

In the dark, he lay there; his eyes weren't open and he just lay out there in the dark. It was almost like floating, very close to it. He couldn't really feel anything ether. Was he only allowed to breathe in this dead space? Was it the only way to live, exist in this emptiness?

He could feel his heart beating, each synchronized beat sending blood to all parts of his body. Those veins mapped out like a web over him acting as passage, like canals or a vast roadmap. It was a steady monotonous pattern, one that must remain as such, although the number of beats in a single minute for a normal human heart was many and fulfilling the purpose each time.

That aside, things were sort of a blur for this boy. The knew he was in this dead space, this dead zone, but the memories of something that took place before were jumbled and messy. It was only that one segment though, nothing more. He tried as best he could to remember, but, he had now luck.

Dead zone...

"Am I...dead?"

The silence didn't answer, and then the boy let out a low sigh.

"I need to...wake up." He proclaimed. Oh, so now his voice worked. "I need to open my eyes."

Giving it his all, the determined boy struggled to open his eyes. Obviously the darkness wanted to keep him here, keep him wrapped in the tendrils of sleep. But that's all this was. He was not dead, not if he could breathe and hear the beat of his heart.

He was alive, but he needed to be awake.

At last, he managed to crack open an eye, golden lights entering his vision for a second (those long bangs still cover his eyes, remember?), and them laying out the scene before him.

So this is how things were, when the injured servant, Leo, had finally woken from his slumber.

From what the noirette could tell, he was in a room, the walls painted a nice forest green. There wasn't any way to tell what time of day it was because the light wasn't good enough to tell. He felt as if he was laying in a bed with fresh linen sheets- which he was- and his head sunk back slightly into the pillows. Above him, the bed was revealed to have a canopy, so it figured that he was lying in a bed that was obviously not his own. Who's bed was it then?

Among other things, Leo's whole body ached intensely and he felt as if there was a slight pressure on his head and chest. He had absolutely no idea why he felt this battered, as if he had just escaped from a drunken fight at a bar and was still reeling from it. Trying to move might be out of the question too; his limbs felt extremely stiff, especially his left arm and his right leg. It was just that his form felt so heavy. He wasn't in a lot of pain, but it hurt so much.

"Ugh...what hit me?" Leo half-muttered. His eyes shifted downwards, and there he saw something.

Elliot was sleeping beside him, head resting on the bed and dressed in his pajamas. One of his hands also held on to Leo's right hand.

_'Heh...what's this, Elliot?'_ He wondered, smiling. He felt a little warm inside, a good kind of warm. _'How long have you been here?'_

He'd try and figure this out later, but right now, just looking at Elliot, the noirette felt something vaguely familiar. It was the sound of someone, from somewhere far away, calling his name desperately and franticly.

And it was part of that hazy memory, connecting it with his numb pain.

_"Don't..._

"Something...I can't..." Leo concentrated, searching his memory for clues.

_"...die!"_

And then it all rushed back to him...

He had pushed this Nightray boy away, only to get himself hit by...something. Ah, it was a carriage, runaway and out of control. When it had hit him, there were simply no words to describe what he had felt. The servant could feel every thing that had happened to him from inside this torrent of memory; every single searing pain. Every single injury.

Someone had pulled him from the wreckage, and it was Elliot. Yes, it was Elliot who cradled the broken boy in his arms, talking to him, trying to keep him awake. However, he couldn't hang on to consciousness any longer and he blacked out.

That's what had happened, a dreadful accident, and he had protected Elliot.

"That's what happened...?" It seemed unreal, but the memory didn't lie. Those things did happen. "Oh..."

He groaned slightly and closed his eyes. _'How bad is this? How long have I been out?'_ All questions he wanted answers to. This would probably have to wait till Elliot woke up, which he was okay waiting for.

Seeing the Nightray heir's face was enough.

Leo took another look at their connected hands and then closed his eyes, trying to sort out all these confusing things. Unbeknownst to the noirette though, his fingers had started to slowly curl around his master's hand.

Meanwhile, as for said master, he was just starting to wake up when he felt something strange. He allowed it to linger as he reemerged from sleep. when his blue eyes managed to blink open, he wearily gazed at Leo, who appeared to still be asleep, then at his hand (which he was holding).

Fingers curled around his own, giving off a weak grip. That hadn't happened, not since the accident.

"L-Leo?" Elliot ventured carefully. Now becoming fully awake, he stood up gazing down at Leo and hoping that this was a sign. Perhaps he was awake, and that was the signal.

And when Leo- who is awake, mind you- heard his name, he opened his eyes and smiled a mere second before the curtain of hair was pushed back away from his eyes.

Elliot was nearly frozen in shock, not daring to move because of what stared up at him.

Violet eyes with gold specks brightly looked up at Elliot, a beautiful smile on this person's delicate lips.

"Leo?" The Nightray asked once more, eyes wide.

The noirette could feel tears stinging his eyes, giving his master's hand a weak squeeze. "Ell..iot..."

For a moment, Elliot felt as if every thought was non-existent. He couldn't find the words to speak. All that really mattered was the person who was now awake and looking at him, breathing ever so slowly.

"You...are awake, aren't you?" He asked, wanting to make sure he wasn't imagining it.

"Of course." His servant replied, his voice a bit raspy.

"Are you in any pain at all?"

"No. I just feel a bit sore."

He sighed in relief. "Okay. That's good." He let go of Leo's hand then, and it kind of made the other empty, missing that hand in his own. Elliot then removed his other hand from Leo, letting his black bangs fall back over his eyes.

Leo breathed in, feeling something strain in his chest, and closed his eyes. There was one small random fact that he had not realized earlier, and it now seemed redundant.

"Why am I in your bed?"

His master looked away for a second. "Well, I...I wanted you to rest comfortably, and this was the best way I could think of. Besides, the sheets for your bed are in the laundry."

"Elliot," He started, sighing low. "Would you mind telling me what happened?"

The Nightray looked away again. "I don't know if you really want to hear that."

"Will you please tell me?"

Elliot was afraid that he might regret this later, but he sat down on the bed, not looking at the noirette.

"There was an accident." He began solemnly. "You pushed me out of the way of an oncoming, runaway carriage, and you took the full hit of it. I managed to get you free, but..." Elliot paused, placing a hand over his face.

"But, what?"

"You were barely alive. Your body was so twisted and broken, and I thought at first you weren't even breathing. You woke up though, only for a split second. I was able to get hold of a doctor, and...I prayed constantly while you were tended to."

Leo gulped nervously. "I-It was that bad?"

"Yeah. Doctor said you were lucky to be alive."

Of course, he had been asleep at the time, so he wouldn't have remembered any of it. Still, he didn't even grasp the fact that the whole incident would of been that bad. It explained his throbbing pain, and he didn't even want to picture what Elliot's face looked like after the noirette had lost consciousness for a second time.

Recalling it now, he could hear Elliot's voice calling to him, holding his body close.

"I protected you though, like a servant should." Leo said in spite of it all.

"Well, yeah, I guess you did." The Nightray said, looking back at him. "You certainly paid a high price for that and nearly lost your life."

"How bad were my injuries, exactly?"

"Pretty bad, and I wouldn't be surprised if your still feeling bad." He explained. "You nearly broke your collar bone, and instead, you broke your left arm and right leg. Two of your ribs are broken too, just barely though. You also suffered a concussion and terrible cuts on your forehead and right side. The rest were just minor injuries; cuts and bruises."

"I see." Leo nodded in understanding. Glancing over at his left arm, it lay exposed on the sheets and was placed in a cast. That was most likely the case with his leg too.

"I wouldn't move around much if I were you. And before you ask, two days."

The noirette furrowed his brow in confusion. "Two days? What do you mean by that?"

"That's how long you've been asleep, idiot."

He blinked, not quite believing it had been that long. "Two...days. Hmm, I see."

"Oh yeah, that reminds me." Elliot reached into his pocket and pulled out a small case. Leo glanced at it, puzzled, but that confusion was then lifted when his master opened the case. It relived to have his glasses inside. "These were broken in the accident. I got them fixed afterwards."

"Thanks." Leo tried to lift his useable right hand, but Elliot stopped him.

"Relax," His voice was very soft, unusual for him. "I'll do that for you."

"I'm not a baby."

"I don't want you to push yourself. You were very badly hurt."

"Whatever."

Giving up, Leo closed his eyes and let Elliot slip the glasses over his eyes. It felt so good to have that circular barrier protecting him from the golden lights that mocked him constantly. Oddly enough though, Elliot had seemed to sparkle while they floated about in his sight. He had looked absolutely stunning in them.

_'Beautiful.'_ He thought.

"Anything you need?" Elliot asked, his hand wandering away from Leo's again. He looked so normal with his glasses back.

"Hmm." The noirette pondered on this for a moment. "I guess I am feeling a bit hungry. Would you please bring me something to eat?"

The other smiled and ruffled Leo's hair. "Sure."

He chuckled lightly, relaxing among the sheets of his master's bed. Personally, thinking back, what Elliot was doing for him, taking care of him, it was sweet. Leo may be just a servant, and this may seem odd, but it he was very thankful of Elliot's kindness.

"Hey, thanks." He said to Elliot, his voice straining slightly.

The Nightray took another look at Leo before also smiling. He then surprised Leo by leaning down over him and carefully scooping the servant up into his arms. It was something equivalent to a hug.

"No problem. I'm just glad you're okay."

He laughed, but then winced. "Er...I don't mean to offend, but please put me down now. Ow..." He said, moaning.

"Sorry." Elliot apologized, gently setting Leo back down. "Your chest still hurt a bit?"

"I think that would be it. You did say that I broke two ribs."

"Well, rest up. I'll bring you some food later."

"Okay."

After that, Elliot got up and left, brimming with joy that his servant was alive and well (not entirely well, but you get the point). Meanwhile, Leo had settled back into a comfortable position, being careful of his injuries. As his eyelids dropped shut, a light smile graced his features.

And inside of him, the noirette felt that warm, fuzzy feeling again.

* * *

Nearly five days had passed since the accident.

Much to his master's surprise, Leo was recovering very quickly, although his left arm and right leg were still broken. The noirette did admit that there was still a slight ache in his chest, but it wasn't bothering him anymore, nor did any of his other injuries for that matter.

At first, during his days spent in recovery, Leo didn't really move around a lot. Elliot had to practically spoon-feed the noirette his food the day he woke up. He didn't even have the strength to hold a book in his only useable hand. As the days dragged on though, Leo was gaining more and more of his strength back. The noirette didn't know why he was healing this quickly, not when he was so frail, but he was okay with it. By now, Leo could sit upright in bed (he had been moved back to his own) and leisurely read, an open book in his lap.

Now, as he woke up today after a nap, he could say with certainty that he was doing much better on this day.

He yawned deeply, propping himself up on one arm. Being careful of his still healing limbs, Leo sat up and blinked wearily. Elliot wasn't around, so he found himself bored, and there were no new books around to entertain him, seeing as he finished the one he had been reading last night. Looks like he needed a new one, meaning he'd have to go all the way out to the library.

"Great." He murmured, glancing over at his bedside. Leo first took his glasses, sliding them onto his face. Next, he grabbed the single crutch leaning up against his bed. He was very capable of getting up by himself, but he kind of still needed his broken arm in a sling.

_'Oh well.'_ He thought, not that he cared much anyway. He knew he would be fine.

If any part of this was annoying, it would be the crutch he had to use. It was just one, but, it was downright irritating. With his left arm usually in a sling, using this to help him move around was making things a bit difficult, however, Leo had become used to it.

The noirette's left arm lay limply at his side as he got to his feet, placing his wooden crutch under his right arm, and started to slowly make his way towards his destination.

Meanwhile, Elliot had gone off to see Leo, lacking the knowledge that his servant was not there lying in bed.

"Hey, Leo, you awake?" The Nightray asked as he opened the door to the other's room.

His words stopped short and Elliot flung the door wide open, wanting to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. The covers of Leo's bed were tossed aside and the noirette was nowhere to be found.

"Dammit, Leo!" Elliot exclaimed, rushing out of the room and off to the only place he could think of.

He didn't want Leo wandering off like this. He didn't care if the servant was healing faster than expected, Leo still needed much rest (although Leo insisted that his master was treating him like a helpless child). Why would he get out of bed and just wander away?

However, if one wanted to find Leo, there was only one of two places to look.

The library.

The piano room was an option, but since his right arm was rendered useless, the palace and halls of books was the only other place.

"Idiot. That damn idiot." The Nightray muttered under his breath. He continued to do so until he arrived in the library.

. . .

Emptiness flowed throughout. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Up and down each row, Elliot searched for the messy haired servant. This was the only place, he had to be somewhere, it wasn't as if Leo could just disappear without a trace.

Finally, after looking down yet another row, he turned a corner to find Leo sitting in a cushion covered chair by a window. His leg was propped up on an stool with a cushion sitting under it, and his arm lay in his lap, an open book set against his cast.

The sound of a page turning, and the servant fell still his eyes probably attracted to the words rather than his master.

"Leo! What are you doing out here?" Demanded Elliot.

The noirette looked up from his book. "Oh, hey, Elliot."

"Don't' 'hey' me!" Oh great. Now he was irritated. "You know you can't move around much in your condition!"

"I'm fine. Is it so wrong to go get a book to read?" Leo replied with a shake of his head.

"Still, you could have asked me!"

"Elliot, please stop."

"Don't you know enough not to worry me like that?"

"Enough!"

Silence fell across the room from the servant's sudden outburst. Leo's right hand was clenched tightly into a fist. Elliot cringed a bit, knowing the servant had been angered, which means that book could very well become a projectile.

However, he remained calm somehow. "I'm...fine."

"Sorry." Elliot grumbled, feeling a bit dizzy. He went over to stand next to his servant, who had gone back to reading.

"It's okay." Leo chuckled. "You recognized your mistake. You fret over me so much though. Elliot is so very kind and caring~"

"Whatever." His ice blue eyes shifted and he changed the subject. "So, how are you feeling?"

"Better. Much better."

"Good. That's..." Things had blurred together for a second, and Leo had taken notice when his master decided to sit down on the floor beside the chair. "Good."

"Elliot, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Why?"

Even in his condition, Leo could tell right away something was up. He used his useable hand to reach down and set it against Elliot's forehead.

"Because, you have a slight fever." The noirette concluded.

Elliot shooed his hand away. "I'm fine."

"Oh, Elliot." He pouted. "You shouldn't exhaust yourself trying to take care of me."

"It's only right. You're...a very c-close friend."

_'Close friend, huh?'_ Leo questioned. Never had he heard his master say that, and on those words he sounded nervous.

In spite of this, he smiled, closing the book. "Come on. I'll take you back to your room. I'd say you need a nap."

"I already told you, I'm fine."

"But, Elliot..."

Elliot was about to protest again, but looking up at Leo, it was clear that he wouldn't stop unless the other agreed. Besides, he had been feeling a bit out of it lately. "Fine."

Once, Leo had marked his place in the book and closed it, Elliot stood and then helped the servant stand as well. A sudden thought made it's way into his mind then, And with all the trouble going on, it felt right to voice it.

"You know, that day, I was truly worried."

Leo looked glanced at his master, an eyebrow raised. _'Hmm, how unusual to hear that.'_

"Oh. So the fearless Elliot Nightray has something he's afraid of." He teased. "This is new."

"Well I do, okay?"

"Then what is it."

"I'm afraid of losing those close to me, like you."

Leo fell silent, simply stunned for a moment. To him, he didn't see why anyone in the world would care about such a lowly person who caused misfortune. Yet, Elliot had decided to break those rules the day they met. He had pulled Leo from the suffocating darkness of himself and into the light.

His violet eyes watered behind his hair and glasses, thoughts softly whispering, _'Elliot.'_

"You'll always be there for me, right?"

The noirette looked up at his master, and even though this boy's face was battered from many healing injuries, he smiled.

"Yes, I will."

That's all he needed to hear.

Even if it was all lies in the end

Even if it was all meant to fall apart into oblivion at the end.

The bond between the two teens would never be broken, not even by death.

_~Fin_


End file.
